Medical appliance



March 2 1926. 1,575,123

L. MARTOCCl-PISCULLI MEDI CAL APPLIANCE Filed August 1, 1922 gvwemtoz Leon Marfacci-Pl'scu/fi'. 35 'I 5 Gum/ Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED.- STATES LEON MARTOCCI-iPISCULLI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

amnion. arrmaucn.

Application filed August 1, 1922. Serial No. 578,860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON MAn'roccr-PrscULLr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Iniprovements in Medical Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a medical appliance, and aims to'provide a device of this character particularly in the nature of what is commonly known as a tampon.

It is a well appreciated fact in connection With the treatment of certain conditions of the generative organs, that it is necessary to utilize a speculum, which will serve to extend the vagina or other parts, so that a mass of gauze, fiber or similar material may be packed into the parts. Also .it is necessary to utilize this instrument when it is desired to apply a medicament to the cervix, or vaginal walls for the treatment of affected parts.

In both of these instances, it has been found that, subsequent to the application of either the material or medicament, upon the speculum being withdrawn, the ends of the same necessarily scrape against the parts treated, which removes the greater part of the applied substance, and where a tampon has been inserted into the vagina, it renders it necessary that a physician utilize a smaller amount of material than would be desirable, for the reason that if the vagina were packed completel with the gauze, etc., it would be impossible to efl'ect a removal of the s eculum, or in the event that this were possi le, the greater amount of the tampon would be removed from the vagina, incident to being engaged by the instrument.

Also a physician has often desired to apply certain substanees'to the mucous membranes of the vagina and adjacent parts, which substances in his opinion would have beneficial results, but it has proven impractical to utilize these substances, for the reason that it has been extremely difficult to properl apply the same, and further, due to the act that the necessarily limited size 1 of the tampon would have permitted the ready escape of the substance from within the va ina.

Havlng these and further. difliculties in mind, the present invention has reference to a member in the nature of a tam on, which is adaptd to be introduced into te vagina,

for the treatment of the mucous membranes of the same, as well as the cervix, and adjacent parts, and it is primarily an object of this invention to provide a device of the character stated by means of which the vagina will be packed to the greatest practical extent.

A further object of my invention is that of providing a tampon, which subsequent to its insertion into the orifice will remain in position, and which may be applied to the parts without the use of any instrument, so that the services of a physician will not necessarily be required for the use of the device. e

A still further object of my present invention is that'of providing a medical appliance of the type referred to, which may be utilized to advantage in the application of medicaments, such as for instance, salves, powders, etc., to the cervix and mucous membranes of the vagina in such a manner that the greatest of benefits will be derived from its use.

With these and further objects in mind which will become hereinafter apparent, the invention includes essentially a container within which the gauze, lambs wool, or simil ar substance forming the tampon is placed, together with a medicament, if the same is to be utilized, the said container being adapted to ,be inserted into the vagina.

Reference is had to the attached sheet of drawings as illustrating a practical embodiment of my invention, and it will-be seen in these drawings that, I

Figure 1 is a sectional side view of one form of tampon embodying my improved construction, and

Figures 2 and 3 are views similar to Figure 1, but showing a slightly difi'erent form of tampon.

The essence of my invention consists in the provision of a container which is constructedfof a soluble material, such as gelatine, this container or ca sule enclosing a suitable body whichmay be of any desirable material as hereinafter specified.

Thus, reference being had to Figure 3, it will be noted that the reference numeral 15 indicates the container body which, in thlS instance, is in the nature of a capsule, and

tached to this mass of material is a tape or string 18, which has its body extending through an opening in the cap 16 and beyond the same for a purpose hereinafter stated. Also it will be noted that one end of the container body 15 is pressed inwardly so that a concave portion 19 is provided, the face of this portion corresponding in general terms, to the contour of the cervix.

In Figure 2 I have shown a container in all respects similar to that illustrated in Figure 3, and this container may have its body filled with any desirable aseptic material 20, butit will be noted that I have shown, in this view, a layer of salve 21, within the capsule or container 15, and adjacent the end 18 thereof, the use of this container being also hereinafter more fully described.

Finally, in Figure 1 a container has been shown which embraces a body 15 of soluble material, the open end of which is closed by the cap 16, the container being filled with suitable material 22 to which there is attached the tape 18, passing through the It will be found, in using a tampon provided in accordance with my invention, that plain cotton plugs, or other medicated ma"- terial, are capable of being introduced into the vagina for their medicinal, chemical or germicidal action on the external OS, on the cervix, on the uterus, and on the vaginal mucous membranes, without the medium of a speculum, applicator, forceps or any vagimil instrument whatsoever. In other words,

i the tampon can be inserted by either the physician or patient, and the proper application of the same is assured incident to the fact thata correct introduction is effected for the reason that the face 19 of the container 15 in rich instance, will finally come into contact with and embrace the cervix portion so that the patient will know that the device is in its roper position.

It will also be un erstood that the tampon and medicinal agent which may be carried thereby are capable of introduction into the vagina in an absolutely sterile condition in view of the fact that they are enclosed witliin the container. Further, in the event that medication is used it will remain in contact with the different parts of the cervix and vagina without being displaced or rubbed off, as would be the case if'this agent wert applied through a speculum.

Still further, the tampon, as soon as the gelatine covering dissolves, will expand to a considerable extent thus causing the vagina wall to be stretched, and consequently obliterating its numerous folds within which germs may be secreted," this expanding action also serving to .uncover any diseased areas which may exist.

Also a benefit is to be derived incident to the fact that certain chemical compounds generally in the form of powder, can be introduced into the vagina or into the material with which the container is filled. Thus any gaseous, germicidal agents emanating from these compounds will be liberated gradually, or suddenly for any desired interval of time upon these agents coming in contact with mucus, pus or the normal vaginal secretion.

A still further accomplishment of the present device is that in case of cervical or vaginal hemorrhage a plain or medicated tampon can be quickly inserted, as

'a first aid remedy, and the gelatine in itself will hasten the coagulation of blood in that the gelatine is one of the best haemostatic compounds known. In this connection it will also be appreciated that a device of this nature is readily applicable for use at the end of the menstral period, particularly where the person using the same does not desire to wear the sanitary napkin, due to the discomfort, incident to the use of the latter, or due to. the fact that an appliance of this nature is not available.

Still another benefit is to be attributed to the fact that a different dose of any me- 100 to the user, than any methods of procedure 0 Also when the medical agent used is in t the form of powder 24, as in Figure 1, this powder is not affected by any contaminating influence prior to its actual use, and the heat and moisture of the vagina will first dissolve the container 15, and secondly cause the owder 24 to act so that the latter may give off the gases which will lay directly upon the cervix, and the per orations 23 are provided for the escape of the gas before the whole capsule dissolves, and where ointment 21 is utilized, the latter will coat the parts upon the container dissolving.

Thus it will be understood that the objects of this invention have been accomplished, and it will be appreciated that the manner in which the device may be utilized, and the material which the container may enclose is entirely optional, and further 1 numerous modifications of structure may be resorted to without in the least de arting from the scope of my claim, whic is:

A medical appliance, including a substantially rigid soluble casing having a per- 20 forated end-portion, a tampon within said casing, and a medicinal agent disposed within said casing adjacent the perforated end thereof.

Signed at New York, in the count of 25 New York and State of New York, th1s 31 day of July, A. D. 1922.

LEON MARTOCCI-PISCULLI. 

